Helen Fones
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quietscientist.bsky.social
Helen Fones
@quietscientist.bsky.social
320 followers 370 following 330 posts
UKRI Future Leader's Fellow / Senior Lecturer and chief Science Do-er of the Fones lab, Exeter. Pro: Evidence-based thinking, kindness, pet rats, coffee.
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quietscientist.bsky.social
#RatOfTheWeek: Walter!
He's the second of our two new rescues. A lovely, soft, gentle boy, currently being introduced to our other boys and acting like he's not twice their size. Sweetheart ❤️

#Rats #pets #PetRats #FancyRats #SkyRats #RatsOfBluesky
October 26, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
hannah.posts.rat.pictures.ap.brid.gy
The author of this norwegian knitting pattern was sadly attacked by a werewolf in the middle of writing the gauge instructions
STRIKKEFASTHET 22 m x 29 omg glattstrikk, 27 omg mønster = 10 x 10 cm
October 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
plantophagy.bsky.social
They’re electing a prime minister, yet the main headline is still her gender, not her ideas or what she stands for 😤 www.bbc.com/news/live/cy...
Sanae Takaichi wins historic vote to become Japan's first female prime minister
Sanae Takaichi, who calls herself Japan's Margaret Thatcher, stitched up a late night deal to bring her within two votes of the PM chair.
www.bbc.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
hoovybaby.bsky.social
Wake up, babe, the least subtle visual metaphor in history just dropped
October 21, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
mikegalsworthy.bsky.social
🇺🇸 🔥 That. Was. Impressive.

We are watching America reassert itself and its values from the grassroots up. The world saw you and we have huge hope invested in you.
October 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social
A leaf-surface fungus mediates interactions between leafcutter bees and the plants they cut to line their nests

-in Ecology

esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
A leaf‐surface fungus mediates interactions between leafcutter bees and the plants they cut to line their nests
Many insects damage leaves, a phenomenon that is foundational to their impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Leaf traits, including chemistry, shape these interactions. In turn, leaf-surface (phylloplan....
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
plantophagy.bsky.social
Isn’t it amazing that plants have transcription factors that literally move from one cell to another to shape development? As a non-developmental biologist, I find this mind-blowing 🤯 genesdev.cshlp.org/content/25/1...
WUSCHEL protein movement mediates stem cell homeostasis in the Arabidopsis shoot apex
A biweekly scientific journal publishing high-quality research in molecular biology and genetics, cancer biology, biochemistry, and related fields
genesdev.cshlp.org
October 21, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
eddavey.libdems.org.uk
Then fix it.
Screenshot from BBC: Rachel Reeves blames Brexit deal for long-term damage to economy. Rachel Reeves made the comment about the 2020 deal at a key meeting of the world's leading finance ministers and central bankers.
October 20, 2025 at 7:49 AM
quietscientist.bsky.social
#RatOfTheWeek - we just collected two new ratties who were in need of a new forever home. He's one of them, Cyril. Settling well into his new life.
#rats #pets #petrats #fancyrats #skyrats #ratsofbluesky #ratsky
A roan top eared rat in a fluffy tunnel; just his face shows. Now he's taking and stretching out one paw towards us. Here he's having a cuddle and eating a treat And here, he's observing and exploring his new home - sitting up in an alert posture, whiskers forward.
October 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
microbiologysociety.org
Did you know food-derived natural products may reveal how antimicrobial resistance plasmids spread in Enterobacterales? Celebrate World Food Day by reflecting on how our diet affects the world. Read more in Microbiology: doi.org/10.1099/mic.... #MicrobioJ #WorldFoodDay
Natural products from food sources can alter the spread of antimicrobial resistance plasmids in Enterobacterales
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to global public health. Notably, resistance to carbapenem and extended-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics in Gram-negative bacteria is a major…
doi.org
October 16, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
goodlawproject.org
Excuse me but, what the f*** is the point of targets to build homes that only the wealthy can afford? How does it help anyone who is not a property developer? And why does Labour care more about property developers than families? liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/398...
Leaked memo reveals Labour plan to slash affordable homes target
A requirement for developers to build affordable housing in London is set to be cut from 35% of new homes to 20%, in a move councils fear will spread across Britain
liveapp.inews.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 7:06 AM
quietscientist.bsky.social
#RatOfTheWeek - one of our past boys who deserves to be remembered - Grindle! He had the softest fur and the softest brain - such a daft, sweet, cuddly soul. And very very cute with it!
#rats #pets #petrats #fancyrats #skyrats #RatsOfBluesky
Grindle. A dark grey rat with a crooked white blaze running at an angle from the left side of his pink nose up to the center of his forehead. He had pink dumbo ears and white whiskers and he's looking at the camera with his shiny black eyes Here he's sitting up in a hand. His back feet are sticking out towards the camera and he's holding a piece of cucumber like it's a steering wheel for an invisible go kart. Here he's snuggled into his human's cardigan for a cuddle.
September 27, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
danielsohege.bsky.social
The "no-one talks about immigration" line is so obviously nonsense. Not only is it one of the single most reported on issues in the media, it is also one of the most talked about in politics, with "immigration" alone referenced more than 1,700 times in the last 12 months in House of Commons. 1/
September 26, 2025 at 11:58 AM
quietscientist.bsky.social
Quality science reporting from the Mirror here 🤣🤦😭

Virus or fungus? At least pick one!
#science #ScienceCommunication #misinformation #embarrassing
"Cases of the Candidozyma auris virus have been increasing and spreading in hospitals. This dangerous fungus, once limited to a small number of isolated cases, has now spread to every continent, except Antarctica."
September 25, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
brianwernham.bsky.social
Ed Davey MP, Lib Dem Leader on Elon Musk

Hard, serious, uncompromising words 👇
September 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
implausibleblog.bsky.social
Ed Davey, "Nigel Farage helped cause the small boat problems, because before Brexit we had 27 return agreements with the EU"

- maybe call them Brexit boats?
September 22, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
implausibleblog.bsky.social
Ed Davey, "I'm afraid Nigel Farage should be apologising for helping cause this problem in the first place"

"Before Brexit we didn't have a small boats problem because we had 27 return agreements with EU countries and we could return people"

-Maybe we should call them Farage's Brexit Boats
September 22, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Helen Fones
ottoenglish.bsky.social
I have defended the BBC again and again.

No more.
bestforbritain.org Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · Sep 22
For 56 minutes Sky News and BBC News interrupted everything else and carried a Reform UK feed live, uninterrupted, unchallenged. The stream spluttered, froze, pixelated - dozens of times - still they stuck with it. FOR ONE HOUR.

This is an editorial choice. No other party gets this coverage. ~AA
September 22, 2025 at 11:05 AM
quietscientist.bsky.social
#RatOfTheWeek - Ace again! Seen here taking his medicine (in chocolate spread) like a trooper! We thought he might be off to the rainbow bridge but once again the vet has done magic! Long life and good health, Acey boy! 🥰 (& same to his vet 😃).
#pets #rats #petrats #fancyrats #skyrats #ratsofbluesky
September 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
tatsuyanobori.bsky.social
RNA-binding proteins orchestrating immunity in plants onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
RNA‐binding proteins orchestrating immunity in plants
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a central role in plant immunity by controlling the form, function and fate of RNA and are directly targeted by pathogens to promote susceptibility. This review exami...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 16, 2025 at 9:17 AM
quietscientist.bsky.social
#RatOfTheWeek - Pingu! This is not just bliss, this is chocolate spread bliss... Daddy's fingers aren't quite clean so they must be licked - it would be a sin to leave a single molecule unlicked! Too busy & happy to care if he looks ridiculous🤣
#rats #pets #petrats #fancyrats #skyrats #RatsOfBluesky
September 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
Could we please stop pretending that the flags being hung from streetlamps or painted on roundabouts are innocent expressions of patriotic pride? This is the far right marking out its territory. It uses these flags to intimidate its traditional victims and opponents. 🧵1/3
September 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
quietscientist.bsky.social
I think Dusty makes a good #RatOfTheWeek this week. He loves flowers, he doesn't care who knows it, and he won't let a treacherous 'ramp' stop him from picking them, either!
#rats #pets #petrats #fancyrats #skyrats #ratsofbluesky #cute
September 7, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Helen Fones
localnotail.bsky.social
On the same day in the Telegraph:
The Telegraph Rayner tax scandal - £40k tax dodge - Statement Angela Rayner dodges £40,000 stamp duty Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence [Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday] Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent 29 August 2025 8:57am BST The Telegraph Money > Property > Second homes How to avoid tax on your second home From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net [Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto] Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer 29 August 2025 1:21pm BST
September 5, 2025 at 7:55 AM